by
Elmo Leonard
Sri Lanka
has been the world's centre
for coloured gemstones and from
time immemorial has given the
world many diverse facets of
romantic overtones. Among them
is that Prince Charles mesmerised
Lady Diana with an engagement
ring, set with a priceless Blue
Sapphire. The Blue Sapphire
is Sri Lanka's gem supreme and
can be considered the highest
prized of all gems, while being
second only to the diamond in
hardness. The largest known
Sapphire in the world weighing
42 pounds, was found in the
gem gravels of Sri Lanka.
A well-known
legend says that in Biblical
times, King Solomon in his wisdom
used precious stones from the
paradise isle to woo the Queen
of Sheba. Factually, Solomon
sent emissaries to the City
of Gems in the Orient (Ratnapura
in Sri Lanka) to procure the
precious stones that won him
the hand, and then the heart
of Queen Sheba. Since, and even
before, Sri Lanka's priceless
gems have dazzled kings and
rulers.
These
coloured precious stones have
adorned their crowns and thrones
and bedecked royalty world over,
including Queen Victoria, in
recent times, according to diverse
sources on gems and jewellery.
In the
Adventures of Sinbad in Serendib
(Sri Lanka) Sinbad became a
household word among the Arabs
and Jazirat Kakut or Island
of Gems became equally known.
According
to geological surveys, 90 per
cent of the country is estimated
to be potential gem bearing
land and the earth's greatest
concentration of fine gems are
found here with over 60 varieties
of precious and semi-precious
stones, which include: Corundum
- Ruby, Star Ruby, Blue Sapphire,
Star Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire,
Golden Sapphire, Padparadscha,
White Sapphire. Chrysoberyl
- Chrysoberyl Cat's Eye, Alexandrite,
Alexandrite Cat's Eye, Chrysoberyl.
Spinel - Blue Spinel, Red Spinel,
Mauve Spinel. Topaz - White
Topaz. Beryl - Aquamarine, White
Beryl, Pale Green Beryl. Zircon
- Green Zircon, Yellow Zircon,
Brown Zircon, Red and Blue Zircon
(very rare). Garnet - Rose red
coloured, Red, Mauve, Hesonite
Garnet, Spessartine Garnet.
Tourmaline - Green, Brown varieties.
Quartz - Yellow, White, Brown,
Rose, Purple (Amethyst). Feldspar
- Moonstone.
Sri Lanka's
rare gemstones include: Andalusite,
Apatite, Cordierite, Diopside,
Ekanite, Dpidote, Euclase, Fibrolite,
Florite, Idocrase, Kornerupine,
Kyanite, Sinhalite, Scapolite,
Taffeite.
A unique
feature of Sri Lanka's gem pits
is that there is almost never
an `illam' (deposit) of any
one type of gem. Always there
is an assorted collection of
stones like Spinels, Corundums
(Sapphire and Ruby), Star Stones,
Cat's Eyes and many others.
Among
the outstanding gemstones that
Sri Lanka has produced in the
contemporary era are the Blue
Giant of the Orient (466 carat),
Logan Blue Sapphire (423 cts),
Blue Belle of Asia (400 cts),
Rossar Reeves Star Ruby (138.7cts),
Star of Lanka (293cts.), Star
Sapphire and Ray of Treasure
(105 cts. Cat's Eye). The first
three gems are on display at
the Smithsonian Institute in
Washington USA. The Star of
Lanka and the Ray of Treasure
are in the proud possession
of the National Gem and Jewellery
Authority. |
